The Trade Union led march and demonstration through central London today (Wednesday 30 November) has been a peaceful affair with participants exercising their right to protest.

We would like to thank the organisers and the stewards for their support and work on the day in ensuring the march ended safely.

Despite this a small number of groups unconnected to the main march came to commit crime.

There have been 75 arrests during today's operation for a variety of offences.

At around 15.40 a group entered Panton House, Panton Street, off Haymarket and went onto the roof. Shortly afterwards a containment was put in place in the area and 21 people were arrested in connection with this incident.

Earlier today 37 demonstrators were arrested in Dalston Lane, E8 on suspicion of breach of the peace. Additional evidence has since been gathered and they have since been rearrested on suspicion of affray. They remain in custody.

The policing operation is still very much in place but has been scaled down to reflect the end of the march and rally.

In central London barriers that were put in place have been removed to allow London to return to normality.

Elsewhere across London police have been dealing with localised pickets

and events as well as everyday policing and emergency calls.

Strikers in London (Picture: JANE MINGAY)

21:30 Police were called in to help ambulances attend emergencies today after thousands of NHS workers went on strike, PA reports.

Officers in the capital were called in to provide support for London Ambulance Service (LAS) which faced "severe pressure" as a consequence of the industrial action.

Some 42 per cent of London Ambulance Service's staff are on strike and NHS London strategic health authority said the service had received 30 per cent more 999 calls than normal. The reason for the surge in calls is not yet known.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said that the force, alongside police from City of London and British Transport Police were asked by LAS for support.

Across the country, patients with urgent needs were prioritised as tens of thousands of operations and other patient appointments were cancelled and rescheduled.

The picture of disruption in NHS trusts varied across the UK, with some saying services had been severely hampered while others said they were working as close to normal as possible.

Demonstrators walk on a protest march through central London. (Picture: REUTERS)

21:00 Scotland Yard have confirmed that police are helping ferry patients to hospital.

"Following today's industrial action, we can confirm that the London Ambulance Service (LAS) has made a formal request to the Metropolitan Police, City of London and British Transport Police to support them in responding to 999 emergency calls across London. Whilst the LAS will continue to deal with critical incidents where life is at risk, the police service have put in place measures to support the LAS in providing medical support and transporting medical staff where needed.

Commander Simon Pountain in charge of the today's policing operation for the public services demonstration said:

"It is normal for the emergency services to work together on large scale events and incidents and the MPS will provide whatever support is necessary to the LAS.

"Whilst these are exceptional circumstances, we will work with colleagues from the other blue light services to provide whatever support and assistance we can to help. All police officers are first aid trained.

"I would reinforce the message that has gone out from the LAS that people should only ring for an ambulance where they feel that life is at risk. Where this is the case, people should continue to ring 999 and ask for the ambulance service in the normal way."

19:45 Further to our post at 19;15, the BBC has apologised for Clarkson's comments about trains. An apology was read out at the end of The One Show saying the Top Gear presenter's "strong views" and comic skills can be "exaggerated".

The report, which is a review of the tactics adopted by the Metropolitan Police during the riots, says that the force is looking into buying three water cannons at a cost of almost £4 million.

Mark Hughes, our crime correspondent, also reports that it says the force is increasing the number of officers who are trained to fire plastic bullets in response to the riots. Currently there are six water cannons in the UK, but all belong to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). There is none on the British mainland.

19:15 Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter, appears to have sparked somewhat of a frenzy on Twitter.

Appearing on the corporation's popular One Show, the host suggested that strikers should be shot.

The comments, amongst other gems - including complainnig about being delayed by people throwing themselves in front of trains - sparked a furious reaction on the micro-blogging site.

Jeremy Clarkson has become the top "trending" topic in Britain and, at this stage, the fifth most popular issue worldwide. No word yet on official complaints to the BBC. Will keep you posted.

18:40 Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office Minister, has thanked the "committed public sector workers who turned up to work today and delivered essential services".

Mr Maude said there has been no serious disruption reported at UK border entry points. UK Borders are open and operating and there are no reports of excessive queues at any port.

More staff than expected have turned up to work at some ports and airports and all UK Border Agency buildings are open, he said. The Cabinet Office said it was wrong of the unions to claim that two million workers had been on strike.

Nurses, teachers, job centre staff and many others came in as usual to keep the country running and we are very grateful for their dedication.

Our rigorous contingency planning has been working well. Throughout the day it has limited the impact of the strikes significantly and as a result the majority of key public services have remained open.

18.35 Police clear all Occupy protesters from Panton House in central London; around 20 led away in handcuffs, the BBC reports.

We are still under severe pressure and expect this to increase over the next few hours as a result of today's industrial action.

There are still a number of patients who are waiting for an ambulance response and it is more important than ever for Londoners to only dial 999 for an ambulance if somebody's life is in danger.

We are sorry for any delays people are facing, and patients who call with minor illnesses or injuries such as stomach upsets or cuts and bruises will not be sent an ambulance response.

We have asked unions to encourage their members to return to work as normal or increase their emergency cover, as per the agreement with UNISON and GMB.

18:00 David Cameron's family appear to have been caught up in the strike. The Prime Minister's five-year-old son Arthur Elwen spent the day at a friend's house, the London Evening Standard reported.

Meanwhile parents at the church school attended by the Prime Minister's daughter attacked the strikers for "not recognising" the country's debt.

St Mary Abbots - the Church of England primary in Kensington where both the Prime Minister and Education Secretary Michael Gove's children are pupils - was partially closed today with only about 60 children able to attend, the paper reported.

Parents, some of whom had one child at school and another at home, criticised the strikes, saying "everyone's hurting".

Mr Cameron's daughter Nancy, seven, would have been in one of the two classes that did have lessons.

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said at 4.30pm, the service was "holding about 50 calls".

This means around 50 people have requested an ambulance but the service has been unable to dispatch one.

17:30 Data has come in from the Local Government Association:

The average proportion of local government staff in England and Wales not in work today was 32 per cent. This equates to around 670,000 staff, out of a total of 2.1 million.

17:28 Watch strikes protesters being kettled by police after some climbed up on the roof of Panton House:

17:21 Unions hailed a strike by up to two million public sector workers as "historic" tonight as they angrily rejected claims by the Prime Minister that the biggest walkout in a generation had been a "damp squib", PA reports.

David Cameron told the Commons that the "irresponsible and damaging" industrial action had been far from universally supported as he defended the Government's controversial pension reforms.

Officials from 30 unions involved in today's strike reported huge support, with up to 90% of some organisations taking action, often for the first time in their lives.

A student chants slogans during a march in central London

17:09 There had been 52 arrests across London by 4pm, Scotland Yard said.

A total of 39 protesters were held for breach of the peace and three were questioned on suspicion of assault on police. The majority of the arrests took place this morning in east London, a spokesman said. (PA)

17:06 The Telegraph's Deputy EditorBenedict Brogantweets about the school figures

On the day schools, hospitals and courts were hit by the biggest strike in a generation, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) revealed that, after “controlling for education, age and qualification” to make the comparison fair, male public sector workers earn 4.3pc more than those in the private sector.

A pay freeze this year and next for the public sector’s 5m workers and the 1pc annual rise for the following two years, which the Chancellor halved from 2pc in his Autumn Statement yesterday, will only see wages for men fall in line with the private sector in early 2015. However, the public sector will continue to enjoy far better pensions.

Even if the Government’s proposed pensions reforms are accepted by the strikers, IFS director Paul Johnson said, “they will leave public sector workers with pension provision on average substantially more generous than those enjoyed by private sector workers.

Police are saying there are about 15 protesters still in the building. Eye witnesses said the group stormed the block and were hanging out of windows before many were dragged out by officers. Some fled while others were arrested and a cordon was thrown around the building.

A group of 200 or 300 protesters formed on Piccadilly and marched down Haymarket before trying to break into Panton House on Panton St, believed to be the offices of a City firm.

The street has been sealed off amid an extremely heavy police presence and an officer is announcing through a tannoy to those inside the cordon that they are being held as police fear "a serious breach of the peace is imminent".

Around 20 police vans have pulled up on Haymarket and officers are taking details from those kettled on Panton Street.

The occupation was apparently announced on Twitter and the target was preplanned. Officers are not letting anyone pass the cordon and are saying that the protesters inside must "calm down" before they will be released or arrested.

A protester in Glasgow

16:10 Occupy London have released a statement about their attempted takeover of Panton House. According to the release, "there are currently about 20 protesters inside - being held down on knees, of which many are women. There are a few hundred people kettled outside".

It explains why they are protesting:

About 60 protestors gained entry into the offices of mining company Xstrata, a ‘leading light’ of the FTSE 100 and British industry to highlight the fact that CEO Mick Davies was the highest compensated CEO of all the FTSE 100 companies in the last year, when his companies had losses and the economy collapsed

Karen Lincoln, supporter of Occupy London said: “Mick Davies is a prime example of the greedy 1 per cent, lining their own pockets while denying workers pensions. In this time when the government enforces austerity on the 99 per cent, these executives are profiting. The rest of us are having our pensions cuts, health service torn apart and youth centres shut down.

16:07 Paul Waugh has got an interesting exclusive over on his blog about the extent of Downing Street's split over the public sector strikes. We were told that a "handful" of No 10 staff were taking part but there's more to the story. Here's Waugh:

Yet I can also reveal that the No.10 staff who are on strike are far from mere 'junior' ranks. I understand that among those who are taking action is a press officer who has been leading recent Downing Street communcations on - you guessed it - the strikes. Other staff in the protest are not exactly junior either.

Various shops and retail centres are reporting very strong customers numbers today, suggesting that a large percentage of the striking workers have taken the opportunity to catch up on their Christmas shopping.

Bluewater shopping centre said that its customer numbers were up 7 per cent compared with a standard Wednesday, while the car park at the Trafford Centre, Manchester was completely full, with queues stretching down the slip road off the M6.

Reports also indicated John Lewis in Edinburgh was far busier than normal.

15:20 The world of culture has been affected by this "damp squib" of strikes. Sarah Crompton, the Telegraph's Arts Editor, tells me that the Barbican has cancelled its performance of Hamlet tonight, owing to industrial action.

Due to today’s industrial action #britishlibrary will close its Reading Rooms at 5pm, public areas will remain open until 6pm www.bl.uk

15:00 A magician employed by Gatwick Airport to entertain passengers who were delayed today said he had struggled to create any interest in his tricks.

Danny Hall, 28, from Mile End, east London, said: "I'd like a crowd. I thrive on the applause so trying to find an audience today has been more difficult than I thought it would be.

"People are getting their bags and moving straight on."

14:53 There have been lively strikes in Scotland today. Thousands of people took their protest to the Scottish Parliament after a colourful rally from Edinburgh Castle. Strikers, parents and children marched down the Royal Mile holding union banners before congregating between parliament and Holyrood Palace. Speakers addressed the huge crowd from a double decker bus, reports PA.

14:50 Many of the banners are openly mocking David Cameron and George Osborne, writes Victoria Ward.

14:40 Guido Fawkes and The Sun have pinned down Gabby Bertin, the PMS' glamorous press secretary. The Sun tweets:

EXCL: why was the PM's glamorous press secretary Gabby Bertin not at PMQs? Is she striking? No - she's at Heathrow manning a border post.

14:30 Bob Crow, the RMT general secretary, has been saluting strikers in Newcastle today for bringing the city to a standstill. MCrow told a cheering crowd of about 8,500 at Spillars Wharf on the Newcastle quayside:

Brothers and sisters, I want to salute you. There is not a thing moving on the Metro today or on the Tyne.

This Government wants to shift the balance of blame from the people that caused the austerity to the working man and woman.

But it is the bankers and the bosses who have gambled with our country's future and you should not have to tolerate a worse pension and be forced to work longer to make up for their mistakes.

14:23 On the whole, the rallies are peaceful. There are reports of one arrest in Cardiff but no trouble so far elsewhere. Victoria Ward writes:

It feels like a very grown up march compared to certain others. All along the route I've seen protesters engaging with passers by, explaining why they're here and what's going on.

14:10 The Telegraph'sJanet Daleyblogs about the strikes, saying "they ain't what they used to be."

For anyone who remembers the virtual house arrest under which one was held by public sector strikes in the 1970s, this is a non-event.

Unless you have had your non-urgent operation cancelled, or to have your children at a school where the union grip is solid, you might scarcely have noticed that there was any industrial action taking place (let alone "the greatest national strike…etc")

The Government has obviously picked the right fight. The political clout of the trade unions is going to suffer a serious blow from this unimpressive display.

14:05 The Cabinet Office releases a statement that says: "contrary to union claims only just over a quarter of Civil Servants have taken part in strike action today - approximately 135,000."

At lunchtime today the results of our poll suggest Telegraph readers are in line with the Government. 67 per cent have said "strikers are wrong and their action is damaging" and 24 per cent have pledged support to the strikers.

13:15 Politics Home suggests Alan Duncan is having a nap while Maude fields questions about pension reform:

13:14 Lots of creative banners are on the streets. "I'M SO ANGRY I MADE A SIGN", says one." I would vote Tory but im not a great big D-------", says another. A lot of work has gone into this Christmas-themed one.

13:07 The Telegraph's Midlands Correspondent Nick Britten is at the rally at the NIA (National Indoor Arena) in Birmingham. Unison are expecting upwards of 10,000 people to march. Here's some detail:

Thousands are pouring into the NIA, a barrage of noise and colour, a fake guillotine has just removed the puppeted heads of Cameron and clegg to the predictable cheers

Bernard Ingham with Margaret Thatcher in 1987

13:02Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's former press secretary, has lashed out at strikers, saying their industrial action is a "disgrace."

Writing in the Yorkshire Post, he said that the taxpayer is now getting "worse than monkey service" from public servants.

This is hard on those who are still driven by an old-fashioned concept of public service. It is nonetheless true.

12:55 Francis Maude sticks it to the strikers again, saying their action is utterly "indefensible" and it's "lucky the economy hasn't been more damaged" by today's strikes.

12:51 Watch the Labour leader blame strikes on government failure:

12:49 The London marchers are singing and waving flags to You'll Never Walk Alone, says Victoria Ward:

We are going straight to Parliament to tell them how angry we are. Get your whistles and your banners ready. #n30

12:46 This from PA: Two protesters were arrested after a woman police community support officer (PCSO) was assaulted in clashes surrounding strikes at Hackney bus garage today, Scotland Yard said.

About 30 people were also detained in nearby Dalston Lane to prevent a breach of the peace, the force said.

In addition, police said they have gained Section 60 stop and search powers in the Moorgate area of central London after receiving intelligence.

Scotland Yard said it was unable to confirm the PCSO attack was on a picket line.

12:44 Maude confirms 60 per cent of schools are closed and expresses regret for those parents and children who needed a "closed school like a hole in the head." He said: "Only one quarter of civil servants are on strike. Most are going to work."

12:43 From Victoria Ward:The prize for the biggest inflatable goes to the NUT.

12:41Maude says he is meeting with the teaching unions tomorrow and the health unions on Friday. "Talks are very much alive. They are intensive and making good progress," he claims.

12:37 Francis Maude is making a statement on industrial action. He starts by thanking those public sector workers who turned up and says the strikes are "just plain wrong".

Offer in the table is a generous one and one people in private sector could only dream of.

Changes will particularly protect women.

12:32 The Telegraph'sVictoria Ward is in Central London. She says that police are far outnumbering protesters on the streets:

Bit of a carnival atmosphere at Lincoln's Inn Fields as protesters converge for the march. Plenty of people shouting through megaphones, banners, balloons and the obligatory Socialist Worker stands. Police officer estimating that 10,000 are gathered already. They'll head for Victoria Embankment at 1pm

12:24 Watch David Prentis, of UNISON, talk about the massive show of support for strikers he expects:

12:13 Ed Miliband and David Cameron are at each others throats in PMQs today. Ed Miliband claims the Government isn't talking to the unions, David Cameron lists the meeting they've had. Cameron accuses Miliband of being "irresponsible, leftwing and weak" for suddenly backing the strikes, Miliband replies that "dinner ladies earn less in a week than Osborne spends on his ski holoday." He must have meant "a year."

Cameron says:

Let me be absolutely clear, I do not welcome these strikes one bit, I think we have made a very reasonable, very fair offer to public sector workers and that is why the former Labour pensions secretary says that it is hard to imagine a better deal. I don’t want to see any strikes, I don’t want to see schools close, I don’t want to see problems at our borders but this Government has to make responsible decisions.

Unions: the people who brought you the weekend, capped working hours, employment rights, fair wages, pensions and ended child labour. #N30

11:17 David Bickford, who manages one of ten kitchens in the House of Commons, has been talking to Victoria Ward . Bickford said it was the first time in at least 30 years that every member of staff was on strike.

Standing on the picket line with the PCS union at parliament, he said:

The whole pension process is incredibly unfair. They want us to pay in more, we are going to get less and work for longer.

Today will demonstrate the strength of feeling amongst the staff here. I've worked here for 15 years and others have been here for 30 years and this is the first time we have all been out on strike. We do not do this easily.

The PCS represents 480 Commons and Lords staff, who work as caterers, researchers and cleaners.

11:14 The Cabinet Office have released another statement thanking public sector workers who turned up to work today. Francis Maude repeated his criticism of the strikers:

Today’s strike is inappropriate, untimely and irresponsible, especially while talks are ongoing. Responsibility for any disruption which people may experience today lies squarely with union leaders.

11:12 We want to know what you think about today's strike. Vote in our poll:

11:10 Here's a handy collection of key quotes from the day's proceedings.

11:08 Neil Tweediesays that, contrary to expectations, today is a perfect day to travel:

Here in terminal 3 at heathrow and the passport hall is a picture of tranquilty. 21 out of 44 border agency desks manned but no passengers to serve. Staff with nothing to do are chatting away merrily. Arriving passengers expecting delays of two to five hours have sailed through.

This from Samuel:

Passengers arriving at Heathrow are greeted with the following message: "Delays at Immigration. Due to industrial action of a number of public sector employees, including UK Border Agency, passengers arriving at Heathrow may be delayed. We are doing everything we can to help passengers. Thank you for your patience." So far little patience needed.

A picket attaches a placard to a wall outside the British musuem

11:00 The Telegraph'sVictoria Ward has been speaking to Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union.

Serwotka accused the Government of behaving "erratically" and warned that there will be more strikes in 2012 if they do not make concessions over public sector pay. Mr Serwotka branded Chancellor George Osborne's autumn statement "extraordinarily provocative" and said people were astonished and very angry that he wanted them to work longer and for less.

He accused Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, of "stoking fires" for reportedly describing him as a "mindless militant".

He said: "Gove is a cabinet minister, he should have better things to do than trade school boy insults.

10:49 Christopher Hope, the Daily Telegraph's Senior Political Correspondent, has sent though this picture from Westminster. "12 MPs here and three Labour peers," he says.

10:42 The Telegraph's James Orr is at the UNISON strike rally at City Hall.

Paltry turn out at City Hall this morning. Prentis gave a brief two minute speech blaming the city and out of control banks for the economic crisis which has left public sector workers paying the price. No more than 40 UNISON members present. He's now left for Birmingham.

10:41 George Harris of Hertsmere, Hertfordshire ran the Telegraph news desk to say 'common sense is prevailing at Hertsmere Borough Council where bin-men are still out collecting'.

10:35 More figures on schools closures are coming in from PA. In Norfolk, 224 out of 307 schools were closed, including 32 of the county's 52 secondary schools. Essex County Council said 75 schools had notified the authority that they would close but this was not representative of the whole county as about 400 schools had not made their intentions known.

In Cambridgeshire, 191 out of 247 schools were closed, including 12 secondary schools. There were 33 partial closures and three schools had not declared their intentions.

In Suffolk, 187 out of 421 schools were closed, including 28 middle schools and 22 secondary schools.

ATL general secretary DrMaryBousted said: "No-one is pleased that schools are closed because we know whatdisruptionthat causes, but it's very important that the Government understands the depth of anger and hurt."

She said public sector workers are being "fleeced for the sins of bankers, who are still walking away withmassivebonuses".

Dr Bousted said the Government appeared to have "declared war" on the public sector.

Protestors in Hackney. I'm not exactly sure what's going on here

10:33 South East Coast Ambulance Service say the strike is having a "significant impact" on services. They say they are now only responding to "life-threatening emergencies", reports the BBC.

10:21 The Telegraph'sHenry Samuelconfirms that Heathrow is calmer than expected:

No problems getting flight from Paris to London Heathrow on 7.30am flight. An army of purple-clad BAA staff are out in force to herd passengers through immigration and free food and drink is on hand - but there are no queues! At least not at T4. Relieved passengers say they have never been whisked through so fast after having been warned to use the WC before landing due to the feared chaos.

10:07 The Met Police have compiled their ownhandy guide for protesters attending the rall in Central London today. SERTUC (Southern and Eastern Regional Council of the Trades Union Congress) will march from Lincoln's Inn Fields to Victoria Embankment at 12 noon.

10:00 The Daily Telegraph'sVictoria Wardis at the PCs (Public and Commercial Services Union) picket. She tweets:

PCS happy, they've persuaded member who was headed in to cook for the Lords to join picket line #n30

Picketing outside Parliament

09:56 Here's our map of all strike incidents and closures, which will be continually updated throughout the day:

09:50 Union leaders have pledged not to disrupt the trial of two men accused of the racist killing of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, which is taking place at the Old Bailey in London, reports PA. Other court proceedings are expected to be disrupted.

09:44 So far airports have not been affected as badly as expected, PA reports. There were just a few cancellations of inbound transatlantic flights to Heathrow Airport this morning. But Heathrow operator BAA, and its busiest carrier, British Airways, both reported near-normal services, with queues at immigration no longer than usual. And at the second-busiest UK airport - Gatwick in West Sussex - the first 22 inbound flights arrived as normal, with departures also running smoothly.

This may come as a relief to Britain's vets, who have apparently been drafted in to cover UK Border Agendy staff at air and sea ports. And to outraged Customs workers who fear vets woudln't have the experience or intelligence to spot a dangerous criminal or wanted terrorist at Britain's borders.

Radiographers in Liverpool stand on the picket line with a skeleton they have named 'Dave'

- having travel documents, including passports, available and taken out of any wallets

- using automatic e-Passport gates (where available)

- having landing cards fully completed and ready

- staying in family groups

09:08 The Telegraph's France correspondent Henry Samuel, who has flown in to Heathrow from Paris this morning, said there were dozens of BAA staff in purple uniforms with information signs, some of them ready to hand out bottles of water to passengers. "The decision to cut the number of long haul flights has really reduced the queues, in fact it seems quicker than a normal day."

09:05 The Mersey Tunnels were closed just after midnight today. Inspector Russ Aitken from Mersey Tunnel Police, one of many strikers who are taking industrial action for the first time of their lives today, told BBC Radio 5 Live:

I feel angry that I'm paying a 50% increase in pension contributions and I feel angry that I'm going to have to work longer and at the end of it get less.

A picket stands outside City Hall in central London.

09:00 The Telegraph's John-Paul Ford Rojas is down at the picket line outside the British Museum. He says there's about a dozen people there. The museum is expecting to be open to the public though it's not yet clear if any galleries will be shut. He spoke to Nigel Meeks, a scientist who retired from the museum two months ago after 45 years, who came in to support former colleagues. Mr Meeks, 65, said:

I joined in the days when you got a lower salary but you knew at the end there would be a pension.

I represent what these guys are striking for. I am lucky.

I could be at home with my feet up or walking the dog in the park but I thought but I thought 'no, I have got to support everybody'. It is their future I am representing.

08:51 The largest strikes since the Winter of Discontent of 1979 make today a historic moment for Britain.Kate Day, the Telegraph's Social Media and Engagement Editor, tweets:

Strikes and men with bowler hats on the train... Have we gone back in time?

One 53-year-nurse, who declined to be identified for fear of "disciplinary action", said: "We feel there's been a lack of honesty on the part of the government. There's an underlying fear among the people striking that cuts to health services will have real effects on vulnerable people."

08:36 The first strikers walked out of Edgbaston hospital in Birmingham at midnight last night and it looks like the NHS is going to be heavily affected by today's industrial action.

PA report that thousands of NHS operations and appointments have been cancelled and rescheduled as a result of today's strike. NHS trusts across the country have written to patients informing them not to come in, although they are still providing emergency and critical care.

In England, the Government estimates around 60,000 non-urgent operations, out-patient appointments, tests and follow-up appointments have been postponed while in Scotland at least 3,000 operations and thousands more hospital appointments are affected.

Jamie Beaumont stands on a picket line outside theWestern Infirmary in Glasgow

It's irresponsible to strike while negotiations are ongoing. Many parents will struggle to understand why schools are closed when the pension deal on the table means that teachers will still be better rewarded than the vast majority of workers in the private sector.

Reforms to public sector pensions are essential - the status quo is not an option.

08:33 The war of words between the government and the unions is hotting up. The latest statement from the Cabinet office slams what Dave Prentis, the General Secretary of UNISON, said earlier this morning on the radio. Francis Maude said this:

What Dave Prentis has been saying this morning about there being no negotiations is simply not true.

There were formal discussions with the Civil Service unions only yesterday and there will be formal discussions with the teaching unions tomorrow and health on Friday. In addition, there are frequent informal contacts between the Government and the TUC. Contrary to what is being claimed this morning, talks are very much ongoing, intensive and making good progress - and it is misleading to claim otherwise.

All of this underlines how indefensible today’s strike is while these talks at scheme level are moving forward.

Dave Prentis (left) has been accused by Francis Maude of lying

08:31 Ed Miliband is standing up for strikers on BBC news. He says he has "huge sympathy" for people whose lives are going to be disrupted today but he says he is "not going to condemn the dinner ladies, nurses, teachers who have made the decision to go on strike because they feel they have been put in an impossible position by a government that has refused to negotiate properly".

Not all teachers are happy about the protests however. In today's Telegraph, Gregg Wallace, the executive principal at Best Start Federation of schools, explains why his school will stay open during the strike. He believes the strike demonstrates a "lack of realism" among teaching unions, worries about the example it sets children, and finds other aspects of the strike disturbing:

I’ve heard some staff saying they’re not marching, but are going out “for a jolly” today. I hope that’s not the case. We get 13 weeks off a year and, while lots of us work long hours, taking a free day to go Christmas shopping is an insult to parents. What happens if a mother, forced to take a day off work, bumps into a teacher out lunching today? What message does that send?

Parents will have to take days off work to look after their children

08:02 The Cabinet Office have just released their statement on industrial action today. Francis Maude urged public sector workers to look at the offer for themselves "rather than listening to the rhetoric of their union leaders". He estimated that around three quarters of schools will be closed today and criticised strikers :

Today’s strike is inappropriate, untimely and irresponsible, especially while talks are ongoing. Responsibility for any disruption which people may experience today lies squarely with union leaders.

“We have listened to the concerns of public sector workers and that is why at the beginning of this month we put an improved offer on the table. The offer ensures that public sector pensions will remain among the very best available while also being fair and affordable to taxpayers.

07:40 The Telegraph'sAndy Bloxham is with Brendan Barber, the General Secretary of the TUC, at St Pancras hospital. He reports:

Mr Barber denied the unions were holding the government hostage over public sector pensions and said: "Theextra contributions aren't to support the pensions long term, they are simply to tackle the deficit and that's not fair.

It's the poorest and the weakest who are too often being asked to pay the price for this crisis and not those who caused it.And there'll be growing public anger until that changes."

There was little sign of mass protest at St Pancras Hospital at 7.45am, where Brendan Barber spoke in support of the strikes- the picket line was formed of 15 union members, including Mr Barber, being recorded by 11 members of the press.

George Osborne delivered his Autumn Statement the day before the strike

07:35 George Osborne has defended his plans on the BBC, saying that he is offering a "very generous" pension for public sector workers. He said the strikes will achieve nothing and unions should instead "get back round the table" to negotiate. "It will make the economy weaker and potentially cost jobs," he said.

On BBC Breakfast, Mr Osborne denied he was picking a fight with public sector workers.

I'm not picking a fight with anyone, I'm trying to deal with this country's debts, that were racked up in the good years, and, unfortunately, now we are in the difficult years, we are having to pay them off.

He said that was how jobs could be created in Britain, and a million additional net jobs, over and above any that would be lost, were to be created over the next five years.

07:30 Dave Prentis, the General Secretary of UNISON, has been on the Today programme. He said that most UNISON members don't want to strike:

It is very, very rare for UNISON to move to industrial action - most of our activists have never taken strike action. But when millions of public service workers - mostly women, mostly low-paid - will have a 3 per cent pay cut with not a penny going into their pensions - what else can they do?

They are asked to work six, seven or eight years longer and then they get a worse pension. They are saying enough is enough.

07:26 Strikers are already taking to the picket lines across the country. Protesters are assembling in Surrey, Islington, Swansea, Stevenage, Guildford, Manchester, Plymouth.

07:22 The Goverment's website is giving details about how the public sector strikes might affect the public. They expect schools, health services, UK borders and visas, local councils, jobcentres, courts, driving tests and passport offices to be affected.

07:15 Today's strike follows George Osborne's Autumn Statementof yesterday. George Osborne opened a new front in the Coalition’s escalating conflict with the unions on Tuesday as he announced pay cuts for millions of state employees.

On the eve of the largest national strike since 1979, the Chancellor told nurses, police, teachers and council workers they would suffer effective salary reductions until at least 2015.

State employees also face further reductions in their salaries under plans to abolish national pay deals, Mr Osborne warned.

Union leaders accused the Chancellor of launching a “class war” after he chose to announce the pay reforms just hours before a national strike over pensions by two million public sector staff was due to begin.

07:12 Public sector workers are striking over the government plans to change their pensions. These included a £2.8bn increase in contribution payments by 2014/2015; increasing the state pension age and moving staff from final salary schemes to career average schemes. Two millions workers are expected to strike today.

07:00 Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of today's public sector strikes, the largest since the 1970s.